#but they have better comedic than romantic chemistry?

[metabolizemotions]

The timeline is broken 😭

The structure both worked n didn’t work? I think it’s really more for Tully than Vic, cos Vic already has sufficient backstory, n buildup -only a trigger is nec. Esp that late into the last season when we’re eager to see where the characters r going, not where they’ve gone or rehash some things? 704-5 worked well cos there was a balanced focus on the main not guest characters. Also imo flashbacks work better when anchored by familiar events, not vague period of multiple timeframes while jumping back and forth to the present?

I think due to the time crunch they want to condense the indiv arcs into single episodes. Like 703 for Travis with his dad, 706 for Vic & Tully with Morris, 707 for Maya with Mason.

The non-linear structure did allow for building a sense of history with Morris n the emotional impact that came after. It was a better way to incorporate the story of the guest actors, and it allowed for the inclusion of as many of the main cast as possible. The team hasn’t been really like a team since Maya was captain. There hasn't been any sort of real, shared n lasting experiences.

Imagine if we had a format like that that tied a season together, instead of the captainship n political drama, n tonally different n sometimes inconsequential scenes strung together to make up episodes, which went on to make up seasons. 704-6 r better than 701-3 imo, in an already better season, despite some issues. Sadly only upon cancellation r they focusing their resources n efforts to make it more dynamic n cohesive... n we didn't get more much-needed fresh takes from new writers n directors sooner...

We got to see the progression of how Vic came into her own as the leader for Crisis One. How it led to her emotional burnout n compassion fatigue - she truly cared for people, taking on their pain, while not being able to release her own unresolved pain or seek help when she needed it. A reality of mental health professionals, of women, esp woc.

The Travic scenes are the best scenes in a while now. It resonates the most when the writing felt true to the characters. Underneath the goofiness, they tell each other brutally honest truths. Like how they fought over their way to cope with trauma - Travis feeling the full brunt of the grief over Michael's death n struggling to really move on. While Vic quickly tried to move on after Ripley cos to let herself feel the pain fully was impossible. Or when they talked about the blatant racism/ homophobia or microaggressions each faced n how they buried instead of dealing with the pain.

Their friendship is my fav of the show and it took a backseat for a long time. Barrett n Jay have great chemistry n they always crushed it in their scenes - the emotional ones, the funny ones... But Travis hasn't been Travis, Vic hasn't been Vic, n Travic hasn't been Travic. The show tends to put relationships on hold and isolate characters n shoehorn their actions to fit the multiple new storylines they start, but don't always follow thru. A waste of the talent of the actors. When given good material like this, see them shine, case in point - Barrett here.

In a way it also felt like part damage control.

Tully thru Boris's eyes...

A rose-tinted look at a relationship built on conflicts which the show is working around instead of facing head on? Just like how OOC Vic was written in s6 when it came to Maya. It's like they realized they went too far, n now they are retconning instead of ever addressing their attitudes n actions towards Maya.

Filling in some blanks to substantiate their relationship in the lead-up to their wedding? It's valid for the shortened season - to some extent. They had been writing them as very selfish n egoistic people. Now they want to show their better sides to make people like them as a couple ... so the show can end in a big celebration of them? But just showing their good side doesn't work for me if they don't also acknowledge their darker sides.

Basically a chief n a captain ganged up to haze a junior colleague for months. An ex-battalion chief watched on n mocked - the same person who rallied the team behind him n gave him a job when he had none; the same person whose job he tried to steal. But after the extended saga, only Maya should apologize repeatedly?

I find it hard to root for Tully as a couple. The same reason why I don't find Beckett's arc fully earned. If they want to move on, yet keep making Maya be the only one addressing her own actions directly after she faced devastating consequences. While finding other ways to justify/ explain away/ minimize/ ignore/ retcon etc the actions of the others... It just makes for a very conflicting watch.

// b/w the new mayor n Ross? Also is it considered her growth? Since the brief Maya's "sit-down" of immediately shutting her down and calling her insubordinate... To when she later reconsidered and praised Andy about the "mutiny" which she jumped to conclusions to reprimand with no context... To now being okay with insubordination towards her boss cos she thought she was fighting for the right reasons... ?

Is that subtle subtext again? Is it me or is the writing for her confusing? Or is she a conflicted person who's not very self-aware?

[fuumiku]

Chilcille huh... ngl I was a little suspicious. like why would you do that, huh... hope youre not mischaracterizing anyone in your weird and wacky ship. a little weird. but then you said they both had flat asses and you know what? I salute you and your perfect characterization

The fact you seem to think you managed to not make this ask insulting is baffling. What the hell. Fuck off.

If you actually care to be open minded about the ship, I talk about marchil on my sideblog 24/7. Funnily enough I’m currently 4k words deep into an analysis of their character arc together in canon, but that’ll take some more days to get done. Some notable posts:

Of course without counting the analyses of Chilchuck on his own I’ve made, like my masterpost on his family situation. Or better yet you could also read my fics for them, see how weird and wacky they are here.

Wanna talk about mischaracterisation? They’re literally a comedic duo who interacts 24/7. Marchil is crazy bc ppl are like "did those shipper read with their eyes CLOSED?? They have no chemistry!" Meanwhile canon is like: "She’s obsessed with knowing everything she can about him and she reads him like a book." In her eyes he’s like that extra rare and hard and shiny unlockable dating sim character, that brooding mysterious character trope that’s thrilling to crack open and typically is at the center of the plot. The wife roleplay???? "Hey, did you know his type is blondes. Hey did you know he likes his women pretty and blonde. Hey did you know he likes her hair. Hey did you know that he teases her 24/7 and it’s one of the few things that consistently gets him grinning because he finds her reactions cute." Like a schoolyard bully pulling on the pigtails of the girl he likes.

It’s not like they have any thematic narratives or relevance. It’s not like she’ll live to 1000 and has existential dread about it while he’s logically gonna be her next friend to die at 50 and wether it’s romantic or platonic it’ll terrify her to lose him. It’s not like it’s fear of death x fear of rejection so they’re both obsessed with the thought of loss looming, past and ongoing. It’s not like it’s half-elf x half-foot and there’s an inherent journey that was and still is to dispel prejudices and truly come to see each other. It’s not like he’s painfully real and raw and flawed but still a good man, that he’s not the figure of prince charming that she’s always dreamed of while still being virtuous and worth fighting for. Or you know, her hair being golden and it being the epitome of beauty to him, and his hair turning silver and it being Marcille’s worst nightmare.

Just a weird wacky ship who means nothing but shallow things to people who have weirdo reasons for liking it. Like can you not. If you’re not imaginative enough to think of reasons why this ship may have an appealing dynamic that’s not my issue. But yes, yes, they’re both flat asses to me, thanks.

[pharawee]

I've been meaning to make a list of spooky (Thai - because negl that's 99% of what I watch) BL series and movies and what better time to post this than in October?

Spooky BL are my favourite flavour of BL. Turns out, there's actually a lot of them (maybe because Thailand does horror so well). These are only the ones I've watched (and enjoyed) so this list isn't complete.

*On another note: horror doesn't faze me at all so I can't really accurately say how scary some of these are. If you have squicks or triggers like jump scares, gore or bad endings please feel free to ask and I will do my best to give you a heads-up.

✨Spooky Thai BL✨

He's Coming To Me | Probably one of the first series everyone will think of. Not that spooky but a solid ghost(love) story with a murder mystery at its core.

Hidden Love | This is a budget show filmed under serious constraints during the worst of the covid pandemic. It's clichéd. It's over the top. But it's also got its charms. It comes with a tragic ghost (love) story that completely overshadows everything else with its many flashbacks and plot twists. If you manage to get over the camp. I warned you.

Dear Doctor I'm Coming For Soul | This one has reapers and ghosts and lots of bittersweetness. It's not that creepy since the supernatural elements are very matter-of-fact. It will make you cry though, sorry. :(

Ghost Host, Ghost House | Spooky with incredible chemistry between the leads and a cast of characters that you will immediately fall in love with.

He She It | A three-episode miniseries with a haunting soundtrack and a nice plot twist. This will make you miss JeffGameplay. :(

Low Frequency | Not spooky at all, and a bit slow and empty at times, but it has ghosts (in a way) and a sweet enough couple.

Make a Wish | Unfortunately, this has never had an inter release. There's inofficial subs floating around on grey sites but as of yet the series hasn't been fully translated. Which is a pity because it's a cute show about angels and spirit possession and (some) murder mystery.

Midnight Museum | I'm stubbornly putting this under BL. This show has everything and everyone. It's genuinely spooky at times but mostly draws on folklore, the mystical and an absolutely stellar cast.

On Cloud Nine | Short and beautiful. An indie production that's more ethereal than genuinely spooky.

🎞️Red Wine in the Dark Night | The oldest entry in this list. Admittedly, not very spooky (and instead rather surreal and sad), but it has one (1) vampire and Fluke Natouch in a role that's more grounded than we're used to nowadays.

Something in my Room | A spooky show with ghosts, mystery and romance that hides a lot of commentary behind metaphors and allegory. Criminally underrated because it didn't have a wide enough release. If you want to binge something fun and spooky for Halloween then this is the series to go. Prepare tissues.

✨Not a BL but hey, I know that actor!✨

Enigma | Win Metawin (and surprise guest!) in an incredibly well done 4-episode series about the occult with interesting worldbuilding and the promise of a second season.

🎞️Ghost Lab | Tor Thanapob and Ice Paris in a genuinely gruesome, shocking and scary horror movie. You've been warned.

Girl From Nowhere | One of the best things tv has to offer, and genuinely dark as well. Up Poompat, Pepo Nutchapan and James Teeradon feature in some of the loosely-connected episodes.

🎞️Hoon Payon | Phuwin Tangsakyuen, Up Poompat and Bank Nuttawat in a classic spiritual ghost story. More shocking than scary.

🎞️Inhuman Kiss | Oab Oabnithi and Great Sapol (sadly, not as a couple) in a sad and romantic take on a classic Thai legend.

Let's Fight Ghost | A Thai remake of a fun and somewhat spooky kdrama with spiritual themes. And Saint Suppapong.

🎞️Pee Nak 1, 2, 3 (and soon 4) | I'm biased because I really like this movie series. It's spooky but in a fun way. It has queer characters (as comedic relief - but not in a degrading way) and can get surprisingly deep. Watch this if you want to see (baby!) Tar Atiwat grow up on screen (because he's in all four movies). The third movie rewards you with some surprisingly sweet MeanPlan that might continue into the fourth movie.

School Tales | A Thai horror anthology centred around students at various schools. This series has Fiat Patchata, Kay Lertsittichai, Pepo Nutchapan, Mark Siwat and, most prominently, Saint Suppapong and Chimon Wachirawit in well-paced 50-minute episodes.

The Stranded | One of my favourite series ever. If you watched LOST then you know what to expect. This has 3 QL couples (Perth Tanapon & Mark Siwat, Win Pawin & Tanthai Tatchapol, Ticha Wongtipkanon & Chaleeda Gilbert) but don't expect any of them to get a happy ending. Sadly, this series ended on a cliffhanger and won't get a second season due to the lead actor's tragic passing and Nadao's dissolution.

✨Upcoming Spooky BL✨

7 Days Before Valentine | Death Note but make it even more of a BL. Patrick Rangsimant originally wrote this so I'm really excited. Plus, it will begin airing in November which is almost as good as October.

🎞️After Sundown | A period ghost movie that hit Thai cinemas this summer to great success. There's currently no news on an international release.

🎞️Death Is All Around | Saint Suppapong coming through with another spooky production - this one about death and the afterlife. This also has Seng Wichai, Bas Suradej and Dun Romchumpa (presumably as a couple).

The Hell Guards | Chains of Heart but make it spooky. Oh, I am so excited for this!

My Imaginary Boyfriend | Based on another one of Pat Rangsimant's novels (my favourite, atually). This one is more grounded, and spooky in a more psychological sense.

Mystique in the Mirror | Another one of Pat Rangsimant's novels (and psychological horror too, by the looks of it). This one started filming back in early summer so it should be airing soon.

Shadow | This series will air its first seven episodes on Halloween and that should tell you everything you need to know. It's a suspenseful (ghost?) story set in a Catholic private school.

Spirit Reborn | This has the potential to be very spooky, with curses and spirits and past lives.

SunsetxVibes | This is going to be messy and spicy but the short pilot trailer did have spooky undertones and possible spiritual themes.

The Whisperer | More psychological horror but this time not penned by Pat. Apparently, this has been in production for a while so hopefully we'll get some news soon.

Zomvivor | The only zombie series on this list has entered pre-production and is slated to be released in 2024 (hopefully before October). Will it have BL? I don't know, but it stars pretty much all of domundi's acting couples (and more).

1000 Years Old | Will it be spooky? No idea, but it does have vampires and sometimes that's enough.

[lusthurts]

**SPOILER WARNING FOR THE RED WHITE AND ROYAL BLUE MOVIE**

This movie was very entertaining. It hit all the beats of a great rom-com. I personally enjoyed the music a lot, even if it was at times very different from the music in the book. Nicholas Galitzine was a standout of the main cast for me - he really made me feel Henry’s angst just like the book did, and I think this is a character that the film truly did justice. My personal favorite character from the movie though was Zahra - Sarah Shahi was absolutely incredible. She had fantastic comedic timing and her dynamic with Alex, Henry, Shaan, and Ellen. I really enjoyed Bea, Nora, & Pez as well, although I think they were severely underused and I kinda hated how the Nora/Pez dynamic worked without June. I think the romance was beautiful - I particularly enjoyed the polo scene, the karaoke scene, the Texas stuff, and the V&A museum.

I also laughed out loud a ton during the movie. Zahra’s scenes were hilarious, and the royal wedding/cake debacle was handled perfectly. I miss June here a bit, but I generally was very satisfied with how it all went down. Also, despite many fans early fears of a lack of chemistry between Nick and Taylor, I thought their chemistry was fantastic. Maybe not the best I’ve ever seen, but it was definitely believable, entertaining, and one of the most compelling parts of the story.

I also liked that we got more of Henry’s POV than we did in the book. It didn’t add a ton in my opinion, but I do think it allowed Nicholas Galitzine to show off his acting chops. I think the heart of the book remains, and after the press/everything I’d heard about the movie going into it, I was pleasantly surprised with how the political stuff was handled. Alex’s arc with Texas in particular was beautiful, and I think the end of the movie left me with a similar feeling to the book.

As for things I didn’t love, and I will say there were kind of a lot of small things, I’ve made a list that I’m sure no one cares much to read.

I missed June a lot. I identify a lot with her character, and although I totally understand why she was cut out (I do think in the book she serves less plot purpose than Nora), I actually think the choice to exclude her made even less sense after seeing the movie than before seeing it. Nora and Alex’s relationship felt very underdeveloped in the movie, and none of the romantic elements that I thought made their relationship important to the book ended up mattering at all in the movie. He kisses a different girl on New Year’s, there’s no mention of a sexual history between them, there’s no fake dating setup to detract from Alex/Henry, and Nora’s just generally absent. I feel like June would’ve served that purpose fine if not better.

The romance felt kind of rushed. The whole Christmas phone call that imo is so crucial to Henry & Alex’s relationship and character development doesn’t happen at all (probably because his parents are still together), and I didn’t have like a timer or clock or anything but it felt like the 100 or so pages leading up to the NYE kiss was like less than 20 minutes.

I hated that Alex’s parents were happily married, and I think it massively takes away from his character development. His arc honestly fell very short for me which is disappointing since he’s a character I identify so closely with. I don’t feel like they do his like major anxiety justice, and I think he goes from kinda being an idealist, reckless dummy to being a heartfelt, romantic, ready for a big commitment guy in the span of a few minutes.

I honestly could’ve done without the sex scenes. They were good, and I could tell the intimacy coordinator slayed with this one, but they were more explicit than the book imo (especially the one in Paris), and while I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that, I would’ve much rather had more fade to black so as to save screen time to develop the romance more at the beginning.

I didn’t enjoy the Miguel character at all. He has no character development, and I do not at all understand how this character is the Luna/Liam blend he was promoted as. He functions as a ruthless journalist who despite being queer himself decides to out Henry and Alex to the entire world, and we NEVER get an explanation for why. It’s alluded to that maybe Miguel had feelings for Alex and did it because he resented Alex for not feeling the same? But like, he literally outed two prominent figures to the entire world at risk of benefitting a homophobic predator running for office. And he never apologizes? Or faces any repercussions???? Like this is just kind of there?? And that is NOT AT ALL Rafael Luna or Liam who are both generally speaking positive forces in Alex’s life. I just don’t get it at all.

This is a personal issue I had that most probably don’t care about, but I’m from Minnesota, and seeing Minnesota red in the movie was infuriating. MN is not a swing state, never really has been, and was basically the only state in the upper midwest to stay blue in the 2016 election. I’m biased because this is my home state, but MN would NEVER vote red and I’m kinda just annoyed at the implication that it did instead of them just choosing to blame it on all the actual swing states.

Okay those are my thoughts. I doubt anyone cares that much, but I needed to get it out of my system. I will say I really enjoyed the movie, and I can see why the bulk of reviews are positive. I think anyone who didn’t read the book won’t feel like anything is missing, and fans of the book will for the most part still really enjoy it. I will definitely be rewatching when it comes out officially on Amazon Prime tomorrow, and I can see myself rewatching hundreds more times in the future. But it sort of needs to exist independent of the book for me, I guess. And that’s okay! I think everyone involved did a great job with the adaptation, and I look forward to watching it again.

[jovenshires]

endless au edits: smosh theatre's seasonal lineup (2/4)

keeping up with the run of smosh classics, smosh's second production of the year will be a rendition of little shop of horrors in the spring, directed by the other esteemed smosh co-founder, ian hecox. as per usual, any hecox production is certain to be a delicious twist of comedy and tragedy, and this show fits that descriptor to the t. packed to the brim with bright and colorful costumes, elaborate props, and punchy dark humor, little shop makes perfect sense for a director well-known for finding the bright spots in the darkness (and vice versa). with his trusty stage manager sidekick and previous fellow director, spencer agnew, by his side, hecox is sure to make this musical a hit. as for the cast, fans will be delighted to see smosh's resident powerhouse courtney miller as audrey, a hopeless romantic with a heart of gold. miller is not only a vocal and theatrical legend, but also both nonbinary and queer, something they noted that they hope to bring to the role of audrey. miller shared the news on twitter earlier today, saying, "i cannot wait to bring to you this fantastic person i've gotten to know over these past few months. i've put a little piece of myself into her, and i just want you all to know this is our best, gayest show to date." smosh certainly leaned into this idea by making her leading man fellow queer actor and fan-favorite funnyman, tommy bowe. bowe has been with smosh for seven years now; over that time, he's gone from lighting director to bit-part actor to, finally, leading man. this will be the first smosh show bowe's ever taken the lead on, and as i know firsthand from working with him on several other theater productions, no one deserves it more. bowe also shared the news to his social media today, saying on his instagram that this is "a dream come true." we previously saw bowe and miller side-by-side in last year's production of les miserables as thenardier and madame thenardier respectively. as you may recall from my review, the two than proved that they have electrically fun chemistry and excellent comedic prowess, which is extremely promising for this production. i, for one, couldn't be happier for them, and i cannot wait to see how queer this show can really get. other than the two incredible leads, this may be one of the most interesting and unique casts smosh has ever assembled. starring in his first feature role at smosh is trevor evarts as orin scrivello, dds, audrey's controlling, masochistic boyfriend. known for his previous (and part-time continuing) work at the mythic playhouse, evarts is a mangenue on the rise to stardom, and this show is the perfect launchpad for his career. in an interview posted today with theater weekly, evarts said that he was "so excited to join the cast," stating boldly that, in his opinion, "smosh is the future of theater." as trevor's talent is so evidently rooted in his quick-witted, raunchy comedy, there is no doubt in my mind that evarts will make the perfect killer dentist. you know how the saying goes, though; something old, something new. thus, it should be no surprise that we will see two returning faces to the smosh stage, specifically mari takahashi (audrey ii) and joshua ovenshire (mr. mushnik). after nearly four years of absence, the two original cast members are returning for a much-anticipated reunion with the smosh crew. since their original leave, takahashi and ovenshire have worked together on several minor productions, as well as beginning their own podcast. today's episode confirmed that they would be making their re-debut on the smosh stage, discussing why they left and, more importantly, why they're coming back. as an actor, takahashi is known for her rich singing voice and commanding presence on stage, while ovenshire's specialty lies in physical humor and over-exaggerated personas. i can't think of better additions to this cast - although it will certainly be interesting to see how well the old blood blends with the new...

[mephistopheleswasrobbed]

My two cents on the Ossan's Love Thailand pilot trailer

Disclaimer: 1) I have watched the original Ossan's Love (S1, LoD, Returns; AU Season and specials are on my list) and liked it a lot. 2) I am an EarthMix fan so I might be slightly biased.

Overall my reaction to the pilot trailer was one of relief. While I definitely noticed some areas for improvement, all in all I am now more hopeful than ever that GMMTV will do this justice.

What I really liked: - Krit Shahkrit seems like a very solid choice for the Boss. I have not previously seen him in anything but what we saw of him in the trailer has me sold. He is younger than he could have been, they are playing it a little safe here possibly, but the age difference is still big/noticable enough that I don't mind at all. - The choice to make Mo a long-time friend of Heng instead of a recent new colleague feels appropriate. Mo moving in with Heng after barely knowing each other might have not worked in a Thai context. (Also EM chemistry is too strong to sell them previously not knowing each other without the excuse of love at first sight they had in ATOTS and MLC) - They actually let Earth be funny in a BL! - On a more serious note, most of the comedic moments landed right on point for me. (The scene where Heng tries to hold Mo back by his collar as he runs away is what fully cemented it for me that this will work) Earth is a great (but severely underutilised) comedic actor and Earth and Mix as a duo have great comedic chemistry. - Earth being the younger one in a potential romantic relationship is a breath of fresh air. He's got good chemistry with P'Krit. I don't think this will actually happen (GMMTV will prob play it safe) but I could see them going for more of an actual conflict in regards to whom Heng will fall for unlike the original where it was pretty clear from the beginning that Haruta had only platonic feelings for Kurosawa. - Earth is doing great with the awkward moments. He is clearly not an actor who is afraid of being the idiot and that's very important for this character.

What I think needs to be imroved: - They need to decide how much they want Earth to imitate Tanaka Kei's style of physical comedy and then stick with it throughout. This felt a little inconsistent to me in the pilot trailer. - Mix needs to get a little more confident when facing off agains P'Krit. His performance felt the weakest in these scenes and I'm pretty sure that's because he wasn't yet completely comfortable getting in this veteran actor's face. I have no doubts that this will get better if Mix gets the chance to practice a little more with P'Krit. (I'm assuming there was not much prep work done before filming the pilot trailer because Mix was quite busy finishing his degree in recent months) Leave the respect for your elders at home, Mix!

Other thoughts: - I hope they move Mo's initial confession back into the shower. Haruta's nakedness really added to the scene in the original and Earth is no stranger to taking his shirt off for the camera so I don't see why they would have to change this. (My hope is that they changed it for the pilot trailer because they didn't want to waste time covering up Earth's tattoo(s), they could potentially seem out of character for Heng) - It seems Choko got replaced with a daughter. That's a shame. I liked her a lot in the original and I felt that she and her relationship with Maro were an important part of the story, especially on the thematic side. I'm willing to see where they go with this, though. - Thor as Ten who I'm assuming is the thai Takegawa is also a bit younger than the original, we didn't see much of him in the pilot trailer so I'm reserving judgement on this decision. - Kapook who, I'm assuming is taking the role of Chizu (though it seems that some of her advisory function might move over to Mo on account of him also being Heng's long-time friend) felt like a perfect fit - Champ has at this point become an EarthMix staple. MLC being the only of their shows he wasn't in. I'm here for it. We haven't seen much of him but I'm sure he can do Teppei justice. - The accidental hand touch while hanging up posters was not convincing. I'm reminded of the slightly awkward hand-interlocking as Jim and Wen stood in front of the soon to close diner. (Am I the only one who notices that every time I see that scene?) - I wonder if they will actually change the wedding scene to have Mo interrupt or if this was done to make the pilot trailer more concise. It would be a shame to loose this classic example of a JBL run. (They did the run in CMT, they should do it in OL!) - If I remember correctly the forhead kiss was in the original as well, but it also works as a cute call back to the atots airport scene.

TL;DR: Earth can do comedy, I'm glad he gets to finally show this in a BL. EM chemistry is chemistrying as usual, this time with more crack energy. Issues I had were probably mostly caused by limited prep time and limited shooting time for the pilot trailer. I think it's gonna be good and that makes me happy.

[miscriont]

Okay I've thought about this as long as I can stand and--am I the only person who thought this was *awkward*?

I've been chewing on it, reading about other people's reactions, studying frame by frame the movements of Aziraphale's hands and like. I *see* it, I see how y'all get to the "brief moment of reciprocation" conclusion, but.

It is AWKWARD. It is one of the most awkward onscreen kisses I have ever seen.

Why is that??

The characters have chemistry. The narrative has established their relationship. The actors have chemistry; each of them has a proven track record of standout performances. And it's not as though either of them is new at this. So why, with all that on the table, does this look like amateur hour?

I got curious about it, and my hypothesis is this: they're reading from different playbooks.

"Saw it in a Richard Curtis film".

It feels like a throwaway line, something to wink-nudge a laugh out of the audience. There's a bit of confusion immediately afterwards regarding Jane Austen, Prolific Novelist and Jane Austen, Jewel Thief and Crime Lord, and isn't that funny haha look at the clueless celestial beings but almost NOTHING in this show has been just filler, or meaningless.

So who was Richard Curtis and why is he the model for Crowley's attempts at matchmaking? Turns out Richard Curtis directed some of the more iconic romcoms of the 90s and 2000s. I'm talking Notting Hill ("I'm just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her", remember that one?); I'm talking Love Actually; I'm talking Bridget Jones Diary--which, funnily enough, is at the very least inspired by Pride & Prejudice. Sappy monologues and kissing in the rain is this guy's bread & butter.

Aziraphale, on the other hand, wants to try the Austen-esque approach of having balls. There were fairly rigid rules to courtship back in Austen's day. Rules that HAD to be followed, in the right order, or else face social ruin. Austen made her career out of poking fun at those even as her characters worked within them. Point is, you only get to kiss at the end, and one of you better be wearing a wedding dress.

I may be stating the obvious but I haven't seen anyone else talking about it so: one layer to Crowley's and Aziraphale's brainstorming session on how to get Nina and Maggie together is also their way of subtly indicating what they themselves find romantic, and would want someone else to do for them to demonstrate their interest. For Aziraphale it's dancing and atmospheric lighting and having everything just so and *conversations that clear up everything*. For Crowley it's tearful speeches and getting the chance to tell the truth while streetlights glitter through pouring rain, where the protagonists seem to be pulled into a showstopping kiss almost as of by magnetism alone. There's a formula to each of the kinds of romantic storytelling that inspires their different matchmaking styles.

For Aziraphale, The Kiss (because you know this bitch(affectionate) would use the Capital Letters for Emphasis And/Or Significance) skips several steps in the courtship dance he thinks they've been doing. From Crowley's Perspective, Aziraphale is three acts, two scenes behind from where *he* thinks they are. Their kiss looks awkward because they are desynchronized, out of step with each other.

In other words, and in many more ways than just the one, they are not on the same page.

But you know who these two numpties have in common?

William Fucking Shakespeare. My outlandishly speculative prediction for season 3 is their reconciliation will have something to do with Shakespeare's comedic works. The perfect turnabout would be modeling it on Much Ado, with Nina and Maggie playing the bits of Hero and Claudio in fabricating evidence to get them back together: Crowley and Aziraphale messed about with their lives, it's only fair they should get to dish it out.

[alloveydovey]

Hellooooo, dramas from this past month :) I had a lot of fun watching most of these, which hadn't been happening lately.

The Story of Park’s Marriage Contract, 2023 (kdrama) 7.5/8

A woman from the past travels to the future where she meets a man who resembles her deceased husband. In need of a wife, he strikes a contract with her, and blah blah blah, you know what happens next.

The chemistry was there 100%, the comedy too, but overall, I think it was just a mid watch for me. I was three episodes away from finishing but was struggling big time because I was getting bored.

The Romance of Tiger and Rose, 2020 (cdrama) 8

A scriptwriter ends up inside her own creation as a side character who dies early on in the drama and has a really bad reputation.

This was hilarious. Laughing out loud alone type of hilarious. It didn't make any sense at all, and it was extremely silly and sometimes even frustrating, but both actors were so great with the comedy (Zhao Lusi the actress that you are), so everything was just fun and romantic and cute... and weird enough, emotional af as well. I love these types of dramas where, after watching, you kinda feel empty inside lol. Comfort drama material? 100%

My Demon, 2023/24 (kdrama) 8

A demon becomes powerless after crossing paths with a cold heiress (who he obviously knew in their, guess what? Yes, past lives)

Kim Yoo Jung and Song Kang (his character is everything) were so cute in this! Their chemistry was definitely chemistring. I loved the concept and all, but for some reason, I couldn’t put my whole heart into this drama, which resulted in me being a bit disappointed. I’d get bored sometimes. I still don’t know if it’s my problem though. Maybe it wasn't the right time to watch it since I had been watching so many dramas with similar storylines. I’ll give them this, though, these two were truly a comedic duo™️

My Man is Cupid, 2023/24 (kdrama) 8

A love fairy accidentally shoots himself with an arrow and ends up in love with a human, condemning him and his group of cupids to 500 years on Earth. In modern day, he gets entangled with a veterinarian who might be connected to what happened in the past. Also! Murder mystery.

This one just goes to prove that liking a drama is all about vibes for me. Is this different from what I’ve been watching? Nope. It’s not better than the other ones above with similar premises. Yet somehow, unlike the others, it got my attention way more, and I totally binged it. Even when this particular one had some very confusing, probably so-so writing, moments. Granted, it has Nana in it. Nana makes everything worth it (Jang Dong Yoon was cute as well lol).

My Girlfriend is a Gumiho, 2010 (kdrama) (rewatch!) 7.5 ⭐️

A cute gumiho saves an irresponsible rich kid who wants to become an action star by giving him her bead. Both of them gotta stick together while he heals.

Like I said back when I first saw this, COMFORT!! And I was in the mood for something silly and sweet after the same themes over and over again. I can't get over how cute Shin Min A and Lee Seung Gi are in this.

Falling Into You, 2022 (cdrama) 9

A student-athlete wants to do high jump but doesn't have the required height for the sport, so a postgraduate student-coach decides to take him under her wing and train him. Noona love story ensues.

So... I have a lot of mixed feelings about it because, all in all, I think this is one of the best cdramas I've watched. It's beautifully shot, the music is incredible, and the pacing, story, characters, and acting are all impeccable. Aside from Meet Yourself (fav ever) it's truly one of the most naturally acted cdramas I've seen so far as well. Even outside the romance part, everything was really good.

Now, was it inappropriate? For me, at least, I think it was. This young student is supposed to be 20, and his coach is said to be about to turn 28. They are both consenting adults (let's put it that way), but the power dynamics thing is still there. Overall, it was a nice surprise, and I completely binged it.

Welcome to Samdal-ri, 2023/24 (kdrama) 9

After a scandal, a famous photographer runs back to her hometown. Her ex, with whom she had an intense fallout (childhood friends to lovers), is there, and it seems like neither of them has moved on. (Also about family, and grief)

From the moment I saw Shin Hye Sun and Ji Chang Wook's pictures next to one another on a tweet saying they were going to be in a new drama together, I knew this was going to be a 10/10 in my books. Maximized joint slay. Add the hometown cha cha cha vibes, and you have an amazing tear-jerker drama. The rest of the cast is a great complement as well; their acting and their stories just make everything really emotional (I cried a lot lol), but it is 100% worth the watch. I'll be honest about one thing, though. As much as I loved it, it took me a while to finish the last two episodes cause I feel like they dragged the story a bit.

Princess Hours/Goong, 2006 (kdrama) 8

In a reimagined modern SK, a girl from an ordinary family gets hitched to the crown prince because of a promise both of their grandparents made in the past. A Diana x Charles x Camilla drama ensues (but like, with a happy ending).

This is what I like to call DRAMA™️. The type you hate everyone's behaviors, and you laugh, and you hate the ML, but you also want him to get with the FL, and you start hate watching, and then you giggle when they share moments and completely forget ML is a really shitty person lol. I started this cause I got sick, and I got way into it. ML being a major asshole and the FL having no self-respect (like the good old dramas and telenovelas) aside, I enjoyed binging this, and I can see why it was so popular. Their romance, though deeply flawed and a product of the time the drama was made, had some great moments, slow burn and natural as well. I was lowkey hoping for a happier ending, tho, but it was cute enough. Also, music bro, that main song is never getting out of my head. Comfort drama material: 100%

Playful Kiss, 2010 (kdrama) 5

FL confesses to ML, and he rejects her harshly. When her house collapses, her father moves them in with an old friend, who ends up being ML's father.

So after Goong, I thought I'd probably be able to watch this. Wrong. Shin's got nothing wrong in comparison so Seung Jo. Seung Jo is probably my most disliked ML ever lol. I binged this, hoping it'd get better, or just like Shin in Goong, he'd change a bit after getting together with FL. But nope, he remained an asshole throughout the whole thing. Gotta love that consistency. Comfort drama material: 1% (I saw the comments on Viki, and I don't know how people rewatched this, lol.)

[rescue-ram]

hawktrap, and if someone got there before me, beejhawk

(⁠◕⁠ᴗ⁠◕⁠✿⁠) TrapHawk ✨

Ship It

1. What made you ship it?

Waugh, the first MASH episode I remember seeing was Dr. Pierce and Mr. Hyde, and the funny-turns-touching caretaking instantly set off the little shippy bulb in my brain. I love best friend ships, I love the love and affection between them, I love that they're a paired set and the support they show, and I feel like there's a really special quality to their friendship that makes them feel Very Important to each other. Plus they have great chemistry.

2. What are your favorite things about the ship?

Kfksjsj low key got ahead of myself there. But the thing that keeps me hooked is how flexible they ss characters and their dynamic is. I feel like there's lots of angles you can take and lots of scenarios to explore while still keeping the characters in line with what we see in the show. I love that they're in sync 95% of the time, but those little gaps leave just enough room for drama or angst. I love that they're inveterate kinksters AND softboys who care for each other. They're just great.

3. Is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship?

I mean there are certain common takes on both characters, especially Trapper, that make me cuckoo bananas rageful. The whole Trapper Abandoned Hawkeye and Broke His Heart thing 🔪🔪🔪 I will also die on the hill that Trapper Is Much Softer Than People Give Him Credit For and Hawkeye Is Much Stronger. Trying to think of how to phrase my gripes and opinions such that I don't come off as unnecessarily bitchy lol. But like, it is SO HARD to find stuff for these two that Works for me. I think they're more interesting and complex than they're given credit for.

Annnnd BeejHawk 🍵

Don't Ship It

1. Why don’t you ship it?

I feel like you articulated this at a deep level beautifully in your meta a few days ago lol. I mean fundamentally I am a Trapper Girl TM and TrapHawk is my One True Pairing, so this was always doomed to at best second tier "I like it fine" ship status tbh. But there's just too much friction in the relationship on screen, there's some genuine meanness and anger, they misunderstand each other at key points, and I don't see the chemistry between them. Being extremely petty and subjective for a second, I just don't like BJ as a character very much, I find him frequently mean and petty and annoying and unfunny. Hawkeye can do better.

2. What would have made you like it?

Augh. Okay, I think in a lot of BJHawk interactions that others read as shippy, I see an edgy clinginess that makes me Uncomfy. So BJ being less "repressed neurotic" and a little more ease in their relationship. Also the fundamental biggest barrier to BJHawk is BJ Loves His Wife and Child, and I don't want to like. Get rid of that aspect of his character because it's vital to him, y'know? But maybe more of Hawkeye corresponding with Peg and building up a friendship with her- it could even be comedic, where he's planning a surprise for BJ who's getting increasingly suspicious then is amused/embarrassed/fond when he figures it out, but just like a sense Hawkeye could be included in the family dynamic without being wildly unfair to Peg, or even just BJ being a little more liberated sexually such that it's easier to imagine them conducting an affair that doesn't IMMEDIATELY implode his marriage. I mean, BJ is the deuteragonist for 2/3 of the show, obviously I have thoughts on their dynamic and how it would change with a romantic or sexual element to it, but I frankly don't see Gay BJ at all, I don't see Bi BJ at all, he's sooooo heterosexual to me, so a more sexually ambiguous or chill BJ is necessary lol. Also more BJ taking care of Hawkeye, more buddy vibes and funny coziness! And like this is probably me ragging too much on BJ... IDK it's hard to say how Hawkeye would need to change, he's already trying to be a good friend given the circumstances... I mean, for my subjective ship tastes 90% of my personal turn offs come from BJ, so Hawkeye is not really the problem in this ship for me. I guess something that really bugs me about the BJHawk fic I've tried that turns me off the ship is Sad Sack Hawkeye, so maybe more content with spunky prankster Hawkeye and co-conspirator BJ, or a proactive seductive Hawkeye pursuing BJ, romancing him, making it more of a "I want this because I want you" than a "I'm clinging to this because I need you" thing, which isn't sexy to me.

3. Despite not shipping it, do you have anything positive to say about it?

Jfkdndkdn. Yeah, I guess. It's not like. A bad ship. I get it. They were The Pair for 8 seasons, they have many many moments to build a ship on, it's not without merit or something. They're friends who've been brought together in horrible circumstances, they go through a lot, they're close, there's some great scenes for them. I think you can get some interesting scenarios out of their dynamic, though my brain runs a little darker and angstier than shippy. But it is just so very much Not My Cup of Tea in either the show or in the fan works I've tried. Even fics that were otherwise interesting and well-written and in character, the BJHawk elements were pure 😬 to me. Truly truly "Your ship is not my ship and that's okay" situation.

[adamwatchesmovies]

Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

While it would be nice for every story to be wholly new and completely unpredictable, there’s something satisfying about a film that uses genre tropes this well. Crazy Rich Asians is the best romantic comedy we’ve seen in a long time. It’s glamorous, romantic, gorgeous, hilarious, smart and expertly directed.

Economics professor Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) is travelling to Singapore with her boyfriend, Nick Young (Henry Golding) for his best friend Colin’s wedding. There, she learns that Nick's family is among the richest in the country. Dismissed by many because they don’t believe she will fit in, Rachel becomes determined to prove them wrong.

I watched Crazy Rich Asians on a double-bill with Monster-in-Law because of the two pictures’ similarities. Basically, they share a plot but the execution makes them so different it’s like they have nothing in common. You can probably guess the story’s beats but there’s a twist to them that makes Crazy Rich Asians so much more. When you see Nick and Rachel together, they’re perfect. She’s got a good head on her shoulders. He’s wealthy but isn't insensitive to the problems of the common person and doesn't flaunt his riches. The performers have excellent chemistry. They’re both beautiful people. The camera doesn’t shy away from showing you Henry Golding without a shirt on and Constance Wu appears in several glamorous outfits that make her look like a princess. You like them as individuals. You like them even better as a couple. There’s no reason for Nick's mother, Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh) to disapprove of them but she does. In her eyes, Rachel's upbringing means she will never fit in.

It’s not that Rachel grew up “poor” and that Nick didn’t. This film is deeper than that. Eleanor doesn’t approve because of the way Rachel was raised. Her parents were Chinese but she grew up in America. In Eleanor's eyes, Rachel could never understand the values the Young family hold so dearly. The opening scene shows Eleanor being discrimated against for being a foreigner. It generates sympathy for her. Seeing her judge Rachel later shows how much of a hypocrite she is.

You could dig deep into the film’s themes of old money vs. new money, of tradition and need to move away from them as well, the significance of the relationship between Astrid (Gemma Chan) and her husband, Michael (Pierre Png), or what it means to see a major theatrical release with an all-Asian cast, but ultimately, all of these are gravy. What you came for are some laughs and scenes of tenderness that will make your date want to hold your hand. That's what you get. The wedding Nick and Rachel attend is so beautiful and so glamorous. It radiates love so brightly it’ll bring tears to your eyes. It’s as romantic as attending a real-life wedding between two people you know are perfect for each other. You love seeing Nick and Rachel together. Seeing them having a great time with every luxury money can buy at their fingertips is rewarding.

There's so much going on with the cinematography, sets and costume designs you could watch the movie on mute and have a great time but then you’d be missing out on the comedy. Awkwafina (an actress who continues to impress with each film) delivers one big laugh after another. So does Ken Jeong - the funniest he’s been in years. Many of the side characters are quirky and memorable for their comedic values. The “serious” characterization is left to the main cast, with Eleanor coming off as particularly multi-faceted. She can afford to be. As in any fantasy, the leads have to be “perfect” to reinforce that anyone who doesn’t cheer for them is a villain.

Crazy Rich Asians is so enormously pleasing only those with a bone to pick against romantic comedies could dislike it. That said, I would agree with criticisms directed towards the conclusion. It’s a bit too long and does indulge a bit in some rom-com clichés. I'm mentioning this to show I'm not biased. The visuals, humor, drama and romance make Crazy Rich Asians a film you’ll be glad to return to over and over. It’s a terrific pick for date night. (August 7, 2020)

[chevelleneech]

Today’s realization:

As much as I’m enjoying Buck with Tommy at the moment, I don’t want them as endgame. It doesn’t have to be Eddie either, because as much as I do think Eddie also being queer makes sense, I don’t see it happening no matter how known ABC is for pairing up lead characters.

Point is, I want Buck with someone Oliver has more chemistry with. He has some with Lou, but it feels firmly rooted in platonic, and is not enough to overshadow Buddie, which I think is the problem. At least for me. Add that into them not really writing BuckTommy as anything more than Buck’s bisexual awakening arc, it’s not pulling me in any further than, “I like Tommy because he’s not a bad character.” Outside of that though? There’s nothing really there yet, which s8 will hopefully rectify, but chemistry is also so important, so I think they need to do a chemistry read with Oliver and a new boo, and try again.

Lou is nice and I don’t want to see him go, but after the short af scene of Buck throwing popcorn at Eddie and it having oodles of domestic cuteness, I don’t see how BuckTommy continues down the line apart from us having to accept it because it’s canon. Buck shouldn’t have better tension with his straight friend than his boyfriend, especially when all the other locked in couples have great romantic tension. So I hope if they’re not going to do Buddie, they realize chemistry matters too.

I also know people are going to say they think they have chemistry, and that’s fine. I don’t think they don’t, and they’re nowhere near as flat as Ryan and Edy on screen, but idk. It’s not working for me, when I think Oliver is naturally charismatic and has romantic chemistry with people pretty easily. Say what y’all want, but I still think there was some between BuckAbby, BuckTaylor, and BuckNatalia even with the women mostly being written less complex.

At the same time, I also kinda think Tommy should be written more toward Lou’s strengths, which is clearly a little sillier and comedic relief-like. Tommy’s a tad bitchy and sarcastic, but idk! I want s8 to spunk him up a bit, make BuckTommy fun if they plan to keep them a couple for a while.

[mirageofadesert]

Rating cdramas I watched as a newbie pt.4

!!Spoiler Warning!!

Mysterious Lotus Casebook 7+1/10 

Acting: 8/10 World-building: 6/10 Production: 6/10 Storytelling: 6/10 Re-watch Value: 8/10  Pacing: 9/10 Bonus: +1 for the absence of a major romantic plot line!

Focusing on the character growth and the dynamic between the three male leads, the show is a joy to watch from start to finish. The pacing contributes to this, by building up new arcs of suspense every couple of episodes that find satisfying release, even through some story elements are a bit over the top at times. The plot is very continent and shouldn't be taken too serious at times. It relies on very convenient coincidences or magical mechanism to make the character look smart and capable. However, since the show is carried by the interpersonal relationship and secrets between the cast, the many plot holes and overly convenient twist and turns didn't bother me that much. I really liked the show, because it's more on the comedic side and doesn't really have a major romance - which is always a plus for me.

---

Love Like The Galaxy 6/10

Acting: 8/10 World-building: 7/10 Production: 9/10 Storytelling: 6/10 Re-watch Value: 5/10  Pacing: 5/10 Bonus: For making engineering a special interest of the FL

I started to watch the shows based on the recommendation of a friend - and If it wasn't for her, I might have dropped it. The good things first: I really appreciated the acting from the whole cast, the characters were interesting and the story well done.  I did like the love story, it felt mature  and realistic and not overly trope-y. While I think she would have been better suited for her first finance, they did manage to make the love between the two leads feel realistic later on. My favorite relationship dynamic was between the empress, the emperor and his consort. I also loved Cheng Shaoshang parent's and brother.

As someone who isn't the biggest  fan of romances it  was refreshing to see their story about shared life goals, duty to family and country, rather than a conflict about one's true love. However, it was a bit to convoluted with too many side characters and story elements, that all repeated the same motive of women bickering. This led to me losing track of who is who and who hate who because of what. In the end, when the final villains were revealed I had no idea who they were and why there wanted revenge again. I think the drama would have been even better, if they had a stronger meta plot and less episodes. I think the biggest weakness is the lack of suspense in each episodes.

My unpopular take is, that I don't get Zhao Lusi appeal. In the first part of the show I kept wondering why that man was interested in this child. It got a bit better later on, but she failed to awe me with her performance. And it's not even that her acting wasn't good or the chemistry was lacking ... it's hard to pinpoint what thews me off, but after Hidden Love and now this, I think I will avoid her going forwards.

---

Princess Silver 7/10

Acting: 9/10 World-building: 8/10 Production: 7/10 Story-telling: 8/10 Re-watch Value: 8/10  Pacing: 6/10 Bonus: for the final twist that made my cry my eyes out

I wrote a separate review about this show, which you can find here:

This is part 4 of on ongoing series. However, I'm starting to wonder when I no longer will be able to call myself a newbie? I'm stating to recognize supporting actors, sets and filming locations now. I understand certain terms in Chinese and have a better understanding of reoccurring plot points and world elements, from sects, to court culture and consort marriage. I'm not sure which show I'm going to start next, so it will probably be a while, before I post some reviews again!

[okiria]

Ref for my Gin/tama S/I, Ria!

Ria is one of the cat-eared Amanto (aliens) who was a soldier in a civil war on her planet. Once the conflict was resolved, she decided to go to Earth to sate her boredom. She begins following Sougo because she finds his antics entertaining, not understanding the gravity of them. Sougo is reluctant towards her presence at first, but eventually finds she can be fairly useful (and maybe he appreciates the company), and so allows her to tag along. I imagine the two would have a LOT of b-plots and mostly comedic antics that establish their chemistry until a more serious arc (think shinsen/gumi crisis arc) reveals how much they've grown to deeply care for each other. After that, Sougo appears gentler when alone with her, similar to how he only showed his soft side to his sister he loved and trusted.

More rambling and a bonus doodle under cut!

At first glance the middle drawing may seem OOC for Sougo, but it's based on how free and sweet he was around his sister, who he was totally comfortable with. I think he needs more people in his life to love (even if it's romantic rather than familial this time) so he can be more open like that more.

I don't want to fix him. I want to make him worse by being a total enabler.

Here's the bonus doodle:

I made a playlist too:

Also Ria's dress is partially based on this one! There are so many replicas idk who made the original, one person is selling it by Xian Xian but I may be able to track it down better once I have my laptop back

Also ik the other cat amanto (like Catherine) don't have tails but booooooo I want a tail!

Thanks if you've read this far! I'm still sleeping on a name for the tags, but I'm calling the ship name "okiria" :-)

[demadogs]

Hi, I have a Byler question: if Byler happens, when do you think the Duffers decided they would go with it? Because I don't think it was the case in S1 or even S2 (the 2x09 script is quite romantic for m*leven). I personally think they were planning on making Will have a crush on Mike to address his sexuality, but decided when writing season 3 that it would be a better story if Mike loved him back and they ended up together (this explains why mike and el's relationship is so different in seasons 3-4 than 1-2).

i think they had the idea in their heads from the beginning but they didnt fully commit to it until s3. s1 there was no need to explore it much bc a) will was barely even in the season and b) they didnt even know if they would be renewed so they didnt prioritize a separate narrative that they werent sure theyd get the opportunity to complete.

in s2 there are romantic moments for byler, more so than we’ve seen of mlvn so far, but they still could have gotten away with all that just being really close friends. i think they just kinda dipped their toes in to see if their s2 would be just as popular as s1. a lot of shows peak in their first season and then get canceled after.

i think after they realized they wont ever get canceled they went full send for byler in s3 by having mlvn be incompatible, but again, theyre doing it slowly so they showed mlvns problems in a more lighthearted and comedic way. having mike say “its not my fault you dont like girls” and the closet framed kiss were the biggest things theyve done so far to foreshadow it.

and now theyre trying to get more people to see their chemistry. s4 they explored it more by deliberately writing mike and will to be together the whole time and separating el from them so it was just byler together almost the whole season. we also saw waaay more into mikes behavioral changes around el and will that make the audience question why hes acting so weird and bitchy. and they treated mlvns relationship issues much more seriously and confirmed will is in love with him.

and then s5 they kiss and live happily ever after 💕💕💕

[amandamazzillo]

FROM SCRATCH: Captivating, But Overlong Romantic Drama with Strong Performances

From Scratch is a romantic drama limited series coming to Netflix October 21st. The series follows Amy (Zoe Saldana) as she meets and falls in love with the Sicilian Lino (Eugenio Mastrandrea) while studying abroad in Italy.

Structure and Story

What sets From Scratch apart from similar romantic stories is how the series explores what comes next after the whirlwind romance between Amy and Lino. We get to see all the wonderful romcom moments before diving into their love story across many years--and how relationships and people evolve over time.

The performances in From Scratch help bring this entertaining story to life. Zoe Saldana and Eugenio Mastrandrea are wonderful and bring beautiful chemistry between Lino and Amy. We feel in touch with these characters and want to see what comes next in their romance.

With its structure of exploring a relationship across a large period of time, From Scratch has a lot of potential story to tell, but sometimes, the time doesn't feel well-used. At times, you wonder if the romance between Amy and Lino would have been better as a two-hour movie rather than an eight episode series.

Balance of Genres

From Scratch does a good job of showing the realistic elements of a relationship, while also exploring the drama we come to expect from a story such as this one. And amid all of this, the series still has a sense of humor and much-appreciated moments of levity.

From Scratch balances its comedic moments with heartfelt scenes that feel even more real because the performances add another layer to these complex and intriguing characters.

But, there are a few times where the dreams of the main characters get lost amid the drama. From Scratch is about Amy--an artist--falling in love with Lino--a chef--as she studies art in Florence, but as the series progresses, we see less and less of their professions. Story wise, it makes sense that relationships stifle their creative passions, but it would be nice to be reminded of their hopes and dreams more often across the eight episode series.

Cinematography and Location

From Scratch looks beautiful, especially when its showcasing the beauty found across the world. We see Italy through the eyes of a tourist as well as locals, showcasing different aspects of the culture and unique world.

The series also explores Los Angeles and how Amy finds beauty where she never expected it--and rekindling her love of art.

From Scratch does not spend enough time in Italy, but the moments in Italy are beautiful and will definitely appeal to anyone watching the series for its location.

Cultural Differences

From Scratch offers some interesting introspection into cultural and racial differences. Both Lino and Amy expect backlash from their families about who they choose to date. Amy is Black and her family is from Texas. Lino is Sicilian and he expresses that his mother wouldn't want him to date someone who is Black, an American, and not Catholic.

The series does a good job of showing how Amy is in unfamiliar territory with Lino in Italy. And it also explores how Lino doesn't quite fit in when he's in America. Both Amy and Lino experience cultural differences--and From Scratch explores how these differences impact their romance--both negatively and positively--as they grow closer together.

From Scratch also does a great job of showcasing parental relationships, the good and the bad, and offer heartwarming moments of reconciliation that are some of the most memorable scenes throughout the series.

From Scratch is a beautiful story about learning to accept yourself and find someone who will prop you up just as much as you prop them up. It's refreshing to see relationships where both partners want the other to follow their dreams.

Conclusion

From Scratch tells a familiar fish-out-of-water romance in a unique, but overlong, way--exploring how relationships can change over time. The chemistry between Zoe Saldana and Eugenio Mastandrea makes for a memorable romantic tale.

[rosenlily-aka-choconut]

thank you for responding to all my asks haha!

every time ro-joon got out of his office he committed mass damage to the viewing audience. destroying the box? sexy. poisoning the witness? seductive. escaping from prison? foxy rang energy. i loved that last episode the best because he was actually doing stuff himself (i mean other than flinging liquor bottles around and moaning) and of course he suffers so beautifully.

listen when the shirtless shower scene from hidden identity ended i had to go lie down on the floor and reconsider all my life’s choices 💀 it’s such a corny scene as it’s filmed (i HATE that music track, my biggest complaint about the drama was the ost) but also bless director-nim for their aesthetic choices 😊

jo bo-ah might work as a female lead if her character is similar to ji-ah in the first few eps of totnt: street smart and world weary, kind of like rang. they do have good chemistry because their characters are similar imo. they know how to deal with the others’ weaknesses.

fwiw i thought LDW and bo-ah had pretty good chemistry as ACTORS, just not yeon and ji-ah as CHARACTERS. like if they starred in a more comedic or ordinary corporate drama together i think it would have worked out better. but that feeds into my other complaints about LDW as an action hero which is less relevant.

—kbcu anon

You’re always welcome to bombard me with Beom 😀

You know, I’m rewatching Mrs cop 2 with my sister (it’s the first time for her), and every time Ro-joon appears, my heart races like hell… It’s normal, right?

And that shower scene in Hidden Identity… Beom’s painfully stingy with shirtless scenes, but when the man gives us one, it’s 🔥🔥🔥🔥

We did (sort of) get an almost-shirtless scene in Law school (only above the shoulders, but I’ll take it), and even in that blink and you’ll miss 2 seconds, he had me.

Speaking of LDW, anyone who knows me will know that I began my k-drama journey as his fan-girl, and TOTNT was my last LDW show. I started it for him, but ended up falling hard for Beom, and jumped ship. Since then there’s been no looking back. I find LDW pretty okay in action shows - I liked Bad and Crazy, but IMO, there’s absolutely no romantic chemistry between him and Jo bo-ah. They felt like an absolute mismatch, and I have a feeling they will, even in an office/corporate romance, where Yoo In na suits him perfectly.

With Bo-ah, LDW had great platonic chemistry - they worked well for the first 3-4 episodes when they weren’t a couple, but became a yawn-fest as soon as they were all heart eyes for each other.

Speaking of office rom-coms, if Beom were to do one, I’d pair him up with Ryu hye-young - I felt cheated when Law school ended. They could’ve been so much more!